Royal Mint Official Partner

Chards is an official partner of The Royal Mint. Our gold sovereign coins, among other Royal Mint products, are sourced directly from their mint headquarters in Llantrisant, Wales.

The 2025 Proof Sovereign Collection

The 2025 proof sovereign range features a remastered version of Merlen's Royal Arms Shield design. The coins are the final sovereigns to be struck in 'red gold'. The 2025 range also marks the introduction of the first ever silver proof sovereign.

Legacy of Jean Baptiste Merlen

Jean Baptiste Merlen was a renowned French engraver, initially employed by the Paris Mint before eventually joining The Royal Mint in 1820. He is celebrated for his contributions to numismatics and coin design.

William Wyon became Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint in 1828, during Jean Baptiste Merlen's time as assistant engraver. Merlen is best known for his obverse portrait of George IV, introduced in 1821, which was the first to depict a male monarch without a crown or laureate. He is also remembered for his Royal Arms Shield design, which first appeared on the George IV sovereigns.

History of the Gold Sovereigns

The English sovereign was first issued as a gold hammered coin in 1489 for the King Henry VII. Designed by German engraver, Alexander of Bruchsal, the obverse featured the King in his coronation robes seated upon his throne, symbolising the power, success and splendour of the fledgling Tudor dynasty.

Although the first British gold sovereign was issued in 1489 for Henry VII, the modern gold sovereign was first struck in 1817 under George III. Issued with a nominal value of one pound, it was a circulation coin in Britain until the middle of World War I and abroad until 1932. The sovereign was reintroduced in 1957 as an investment coin to meet demand for gold bullion.

Today, the vast majority of British gold sovereigns showcase Benedetto Pistrucci's St George and the dragon design on the reverse, paired with various monarchs over time.

What Is a Proof Coin?

A proof coin is a type of coin that is produced using a specific minting process that results in a highly polished surface and intricate design details. Proof coins are typically produced in limited quantities and may feature unique packaging, certificates of authenticity, or other distinguishing characteristics that set them apart from standard coins.

Due to their limited production and exceptional finish, proof coins generally command higher prices than regular coins of the same denomination and are highly prized by both collectors and investors.

What Is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a form of levies imposed on the profit garnered from the sale of assets, such as real estate, investments, and collectibles. In the United Kingdom, the present CGT allowance is £3,000 per annum per individual, which implies that one can earn up to £3,000 from the sale of assets prior to being subject to CGT.

For UK residents, bullion coins which are UK legal tender pound sterling coins are exempt from capital gains tax (CGT).

Obverse

The obverse features the official UK coinage uncrowned portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, facing left, and bears the following inscription:

· CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · 2025 ·

Reverse

The reverse features a remastered version of the Royal Arms Shield design. It was originally engraved 200 years ago by one of The Royal Mint's great engravers, Jean Baptiste Merlen. The crowned quartered shield features the three passant lions of England, the rampant lion of Scotland, and a harp representing Ireland. The Hanoverian Arms are featured in the centre.

A Latin inscription surrounds the coin, which translates to 'The Arms of George IV, King of the Britains' in English.

ARMA GEORGII IV BRITANNIARUM REGIS

Specification

Metal	Gold
Diameter	19.3mm
Weight / Size	Half
Gold Weight Troy Ounces	0.118
Fineness / Carat	0.917 / 22
Mintage Figure	3,035
Issue Limit	1,500
Date	2025
Obverse Designer	Martin Jennings
Reverse Designer	Jean Baptiste Merlen
Issuing Monarch	Charles III (2022 - Present)
Mint / Brand	The Royal Mint
Country	United Kingdom

Terms of Sale - Key Points

You can find more information on payment and identification requirements.

Bullion coins are provided as is and on occasion may have some minor scratches or edge knocks. These are not regarded as faulty or damaged goods as their precious metal content and value as a bullion coin is not affected. Any coin sold for a value less than a 180% intrinsic is considered a bullion coin.

Gold investment products are VAT free. Silver investment products are inclusive of VAT at the current rate unless otherwise stated.

All investment products are based on the live precious metal price. Prices will be fixed once the item has been added to the basket and recalculates just before checking out.

If your product is not a graded coin and is considered a bullion item, it should be noted that these are bought and sold on low premiums over their precious metal content and not solely for aesthetic purposes; therefore, some products may have edge knocks and/or marks. These edge knocks and marks do not alter the specifications of the coins.

Please note that all investment products are exempt from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and therefore customers do not have the right to cancel their order once the order has been accepted. If customers no longer wish to go ahead with their investment purchase, there is an option to sell the products back to Chard (1964) Ltd instead. View our current buy back prices.

View our full Terms & Conditions.

Delivery Information

We aim to dispatch orders within 48 hours of receiving cleared funds. Our standard delivery methods are as follows.

Orders over £60 - Fully Insured Delivery.

Within the UK and BFPO - Next day fully insured and tracked. Delivery starts from £6.

Orders under £60

Within the UK and BFPO - Royal Mail 2nd Class. Your order will normally arrive within 2-3 working days. Delivery starts from £3.50.

If you wish to have your order sent by an alternative method (e.g., Saturday Guaranteed) please contact +441253343081 for more information. Please note, we will not dispatch high value orders over a bank holiday weekend.

For international delivery, please check with your local customs office for more information on custom duty and taxes.

Full delivery information can be found by clicking here.

Postal Insurance

We offer fully insured delivery on all special delivery options. We do need to pass on the cost of this insurance as it soon adds up shipping high value gold and silver products.

Orders under £1500 there is no additional fee.
Orders over £1500 we charge a fee in order to cover the increasing costs of insurance. For every £1500 we apply a £1 fee.

If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to call the showroom on +441253343081 and one of our team can discuss your purchase.

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2025 Gold Proof Half Sovereign Coin